Texans– When you look at your electric bill, you’ll see something called an ESI-ID. The ESI-ID is a series of digits made up of two parts, which you’ll be asked to provide if you switch electric providers.

The first part of your ESI-ID represents the electric company that you buy your power from. In a deregulated electric market like Dallas or Houston, that means a retail electric provider. If you switch electric providers, this portion of the ESI-ID will change to reflect the identity of the new supplier.

The second part of your ESI-ID represents the physical location of the meter to which electric service is being provided. In other words, this number represents the street address of your home. Regardless of which company you buy your electricity from, this number will remain the same because it only identifies the location of the meter itself.